Symonds works on offspin focus

Andrew Symonds has agreed to a request to concentrate on offspin as Australia prepare for life after Shane Warne. Symonds is a versatile performer who mixes medium pace with slow bowling, but Warne's retirement has forced a change in outlook.

"That was mentioned to me, that I've got to concentrate a bit on spin," Symonds said in the Courier-Mail. "That is just covering all bases, we have tours to India and other places like that coming up." Australia play a seven-match one-day series in India after the Twenty20 World Championship and there are Test tours planned for Pakistan and India in 2008.

Stuart MacGill is almost certain to be Warne's replacement and Australia's other options in the contracted players' list include Cullen Bailey, Dan Cullen, Brad Hogg and Cameron White. White, Bailey, Cullen and MacGill will tour Pakistan in September as part of the Australia A squad.

Symonds' first international duties of the season will be at the Twenty20 event next month. He is prepared to use his medium pace if the conditions suit, but will also chase spin tips. "I will tap into whoever I can," he told the paper. "I haven't talked to Stuey [MacGill] in the last few months but I'm sure we will have a chat about things."